The Lion and the Sun – Chapter 10 – Part 2 – (The Rising Sun) – Cont’d

   In a matter of hours, the entire American fleet in Pearl Harbor was ruthlessly attacked and destroyed. The next morning, there were large, glaring headlines in the papers, as well as repeated broadcasts over the radio, dwelling upon the nature of the assault, as being historically the sneakiest in history.

    At the same time, the enemy kept up the pressure in Malaysia, spreading out to Singapore, Java, Sumatra, Thailand and the Philippines. The rapidity with which the invasions were launched, as well as the successive victories of the enemy, had produced a demoralizing effect on America and Britain.   It was a matter of time for Burma to become the next target of Japanese aggression.

     During this period of nerve-racking anxiety, several members of the Thakin group, better known as the Thirty Heroes, were accused of covert and subversive activities, but fled to Japan with the hope that they would soon return and be vested with full authority by the Japanese to govern their country independently and with complete freedom, as promised. 

     In early December, 194l, the enemy attacked Tenasserim in the south of Burma, and with reinforcements from Indochina and Thailand, steadily pushed forward.  However, the British succeeded in warding off the attacks for a while, in order to give some people an opportunity to leave the country.

    Maung Ba began wondering if the dream of his people to secure their long-cherished independence within the Co-Prospertity Sphere could ever be realized.   At  the same time, he hoped that his people wouldn’t suffer the ravages of war.

    One evening, after work, he noticed an envelope on his doorstep.  Rose did not see it, as she was at home , listening to the ongoing news on the radio.  He quickly picked up the envelope with the flap tucked in and pulled out a short note.  It was, as he expected, from Ba Sein, requesting him to attend another crucial meeting to be convened in his house, at  4 P.M., on the following Sunday.  At the same time, before entering his house, he began wondering if he should let Rose know about the note, as well as his involvement in the series of meetings that he had previously attended.  He felt that there wasn’t any reason to conceal this from her, as he realized that, sooner or later, she would have to be made aware of his participation in the movement.  He considered it to be a timely factor to tell her now, for, if she truly loved him, there should be no doubt that she would have to accept the fact, counting on the philosophy that true love should never allow matters such as this to breach its fortress.